Oh Heck
Ray "Chocolate City" Nagin went and won the mayor's race in New Orleans. Dang.
"This is a great day for the city of New Orleans. This election is over, and it's time for this community to start the healing process," Nagin said Saturday in a joyful victory speech.
"It's time for us to stop the bickering," he said. "It's time for us to stop measuring things in black and white and yellow and Asian. It's time for us to be one New Orleans."
Sorry, I wasn't pulling for Nagin. I think my candidate should immediately rise up and demand a recount. THAT would make some headlines!
UPDATE: Well, I have to admit, Ray Nagin just went up a bit in my opinion.
Surrounded by throngs of cheering supporters, Nagin acknowledged the antagonism he has aroused since Katrina and, to the surprise of many in the room, thanked President Bush.
"I want to thank you Mr. President. You and I have probably been the most vilified politicians in the country," he said. "But I want to thank you for moving that promise that you made in Jackson Square forward."
He cited the billions of dollars for housing and levee construction that Bush has supported, and then urged unity: "This election is over, and it is time for this community to start the healing process."
I think it was a good thing for him to acknowledge that a lot of aid has gone into New Orleans and not take a cheap shot and vilify Bush. There's been enough smear politics, it's nice to see someone honest enough to rise above it.
Mind you, I still want to see my guy rise up and demand a recount. But only because it would be very, very funny!
UPDATE: Ok, this one is starting to get very strange. If this report from Drudge is true, Howard Dean just did an enormous amount of damage. I'm not saying Drudge has been totally accurate in the past - because he has not. But, if he is on this one, this is radioactive for the Democrats. If Dean actively tried to unseat a black mayor using out-of state white donors, he has seriously damaged the party with one of it's core constituencies. I'd say that would be judged a really, really bad move in the long run.
UPDATE: Drudge is more-or-less retracting the story without actually retracting it. Which I really don't think is a good thing and have said so elsewhere. That's a 0:2 record for Drudge stories.
